The Save our Sydenham Message line is now open. 
 

 

Letter to the editor - Chatham Daily News

 

 

SMALL-TOWN ERS UNDER UNFAIR FIRE

Sir:I am writing about the nighttime closure of the CEE emergency department in Petrolia and the impact of that closure on our community. This downsizing is similar to what the Hay report recommended.

The Erie-St. Clair LHIN assured Petrolia that the ER would not be touched for five years; now they say that Bluewater Health's plan to deal with MD shortages is not acceptable.

To date, the Sydenham District Campus emergency department continues to operate 24 hours per day. It is true that Health Force Ontario physicians account for a small part of the MD coverage of the department, but in reality it is the forts of Dr. R. Mayo, and Dr. D. Atoe that have ensured that our emergency department is properly staffed by physicians.

The doctor recruitment efforts of the Chatham Kent Health Alliance have only resulted in new physicians for the Chatham and Tilbury area.

Although Dalton McGuinty's LHIN's are talking about better access to health care through Urgent Care Units, Family Health Teams and specialty clinics, access to health care is still needed after clinics are closed. Access to local emergency care is needed 24 hours a day.

It is unacceptable to have allowed the Petrolia emergency department to be downsized, and it is just as unacceptable to have the same even be considered here in Wallaceburg. This community will not tolerate such action. Responsibility lies with the Chatham Kent Health Alliance to aggressively recruit doctors for both Chatham and Wallaceburg, and responsibility lies with the Erie St. Clair LHIN to support and fund CKHA's efforts appropriately.

We should not forget the responsibility of our MPPs and Dalton McGuinty. The voters stand shoulder to shoulder to tell them to stop their plan to downsize or close small community hospitals, and instead to fund hospitals appropriately to allow their nctioning. The people of this community and the people of Ontario deserve this from their elected officials. --

Shirley Roebuck, RN Port Lambton

Article ID# 2679406

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

 

 

 

 

 

Conrad's Editorial:

 

This is interesting to read that new monies are found when there is an outcry from the community.  Great job Petrolia residents.

 

Hopefully, CKHA will try harder to recruit for Wallaceburg.  When CKHA allows a hospital to deteriorate the way SDH has,  and remove all services except ER, no wonder no one wants to come to Wallaceburg. 

 

How about family physicians?  What can be done to recruit someone?  Wallaceburg is a great community.

 

Deb Matthews Minister of Health and Long-Term care  states  that there are  financial incentives of up to $75,000.  At last night's SDH Corporation meeting, Dr. Tithecot was not very encouraging about Wallaceburg.  Chatham seems to get physicians but not Wallaceburg.  

 

 I personally believe that if we gather the necessary forces, we can do something about it.  There are monies available.  If we can't count on CKHA's  recruiting team, then Wallaceburgers have to move on their own. 

 

 

 

 

Posted By ROD HILTS   Sarnia Observer

The Ministry of Health and Longterm Care's amendments that could prohibit doctors on hospital boards from voting on key financial decisions is a step backwards for health care in this province.

In a story Monday in The Observer, the new president of the Professional Staff Association at Bluewater Health spoke out against the impending changes. Dr. Alvaro Ramirez says beginning in January doctors on the hospital board will not have a say on important financial decisions impacting patient care.

Ramirez says Ontario is determined to run health care facilities like a business instead of putting patient care first.

It's a scary scenario that makes no sense since doctors are bringing critical clinical information to the table. This information is a valuable tool in helping all board member's make decisions and, in turn, the doctors should be able to vote with the knowledge they bring to the discussion.

Ramirez is fearful that if the government continues with the economics-based decision-making, expensive initiatives that are beneficial to the patient may not get approved.

Ramirez hopes amendments can still be made in September when the government has scheduled a round of meetings with the Ontario Medical Association and the Ontario Hospital Association.

The chair of Bluewater Health's board is supportive of doctors retaining voting rights. Bruce Davies told The Observer it's ironic that Bluewater Health completed an internal governance review that concluded the hospital CEO should be granted voting rights for the first time. Now, as Davies puts it, the ministry is going the other way.

With three doctors sitting on Bluewater's board, it would be an injustice if they were denied full voting rights. Their years of medical experience and expertise has earned them that.

When the front-line of our medical system do not get a voice at the table, then there are serious problems with the bureaucratic system that's in place. We can only hope the doctors' collective voices will be heard during the meetings in September and their vote will still be welcomed next year.

July 14 

 

Sir: Members of Charlotte's Task Force for Rural Health are very concerned by news that there is a threat to the emergency services at CEE Hospital. Unfortunately, our doctors are overworked and can no longer cover all emergency shifts while maintaining their busy family practices.

Our doctors have long committed to serving the community of rural Lambton County and we believe the community, in return, will rally around them. We must continue to actively support the ongoing recruitment efforts of our doctors, the CEEH Foundation and Mayor McCharles who have been working together to find additional physicians for our community.

There are solutions other than closure and we are asking the Erie St. Clair LHIN, Bluewater Health and the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care to work with our doctors and our community to find those solutions. Closure is a problem, not a solution.

Like all rural Lambton residents, the Task Force took the Erie St. Clair LHIN (ESCL) and Bluewater Health (BWH) administrators at their word. In February 2009, those administrators gave rural Lambton residents an assurance of five years of ergency service at CEE Hospital. As part of the tripartite agreement, which included family physicians based in Petrolia, both the ESCL and BWH have a stated responsibility to work collaboratively with Petrolia's physicians to find solutions to problems facing CEE Hospital.

Finally, to those who may not understand: An overnight emergency service is crucial to rural Lambton. Any cutback of emergency service will deny critical care access to rural residents and deny residents the opportunity to be resuscitated, stabilized, admitted or transferred for advanced care. Charlotte's Task Force believes that rural residents have a right to that critical care just as people in Sarnia, Windsor and Chatham do.

Charlotte's Task Force has tentatively scheduled a town hall meeting for Monday, July 26, at 7 p.m., the venue to be confirmed. Once again, rural Lambton residents may have to come together to fight the urban-centric mentality that does not have the will to understand the extraordinary needs of our rural community.

-- Rosanne Orcut Charlotte's Task Force For Rural Health

Article ID# 2665862

 

 

 

 

 

 

 _________________________________________________________________________________

Doc incentives not needed, say MPPs

About 4 months ago

ERICA BAJER

The Daily News

Local MPPs are confident Chatham-Kent can attract family doctors without the provincial incentives it has relied on in recent years.

Until last week, the municipality was eligible for up to $55,000 in provincial funding for incentives and tuition to attract physicians. However, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care revamped its underserviced area program and Chatham-Kent no longer qualifies.

It isn't rural enough.

"We've been very successful in Chatham-Kent with our family health teams . . . more doctors are coming to the area under that model," said Chatham-Kent Essex MPP Pat Hoy.

"We have put some of our government resources into other ways of attracting doctors to Chatham-Kent. The recent and ongoing success will be proof that what we're doing is a modern way of attracting doctors."

Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Maria Van Bommel also praised family health teams — an approach to primary health care that brings together different providers to co-ordinate care and often consist of doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and other healthcare professionals. She said the teams are very attractive to family doctors and seem to be the wave of the future when it comes to delivering primary health care.

"The doctors can spend their time with the most seriously ill," she said.

Hoy and Van Bommel said the new underserviced area program is aimed at rural and northern communities, places it was originally set up to support.

"This underserviced area (program) was an old model . . . it was badly flawed," Hoy said.

In an interview Monday, Frances Roesch, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance's director of medical affairs and recruitment, said all of the family physicians recruited in recent years have benefited from incentives through the underserviced area program.

"We are still the most underserviced area in the province," she said, noting we are short an estimated 30 family doctors. "It (new program aimed at rural areas) doesn't look at the actual physician shortage in individual communities."

Roesch said access to the funds is a major loss for the municipality in its efforts to get more doctors. Why aren't people listening?

"It's very frustrating."

Hoy and Van Bommel said the health ministry's new program for international doctors will benefit Chatham-Kent as the municipality will be able to offer incentives in exchange for service commitments.

As well, they said the healthcare connect program is helping to link patients with primary-care providers.

Both MPPs said they are confident the local community has everything it needs to be competitive and attract doctors.  Ya right for Chatham but how about Wallaceburg?

"It's not as if Chatham-Kent won't be able to recruit, it's just the way we are doing it has changed," Van Bommel said.

ebajer@chathamdailynews.ca

Article ID# 2483630

 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

July 9

Posted By DAVID GOUGH, QMI AGENCY

Unlike the hospital in Petrolia, the Wallaceburg hospital emergency room is in no danger of reducing hours due to a lack of physicians, says a local hospital advocate.

The board of directors at the Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital made the decision to close the ER of the Petrolia hospital from 8 p.m. until 8 a.m. beginning Sept. 29. The board made the decision because the community's doctors said they are no longer able to staff a 24-hour department.

Save Our Sydenham's Conrad Noel said the Sydenham campus of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance is able to staff the ER due to the services of Health Force Ontario.

A government agency , Health Force Ontario helps the emergency department in Wallaceburg with temporary staffing solutions by covering gaps in shifts to keep the ER running 24 hours.

"With the Health Force, the compliment of ER doctors is sufficient," Noel said. He added that the Petrolia hospital doesn't use the services of Health Force Ontario.

Noel said the situation in Petrolia with the lack of doctors has been known for months.

"Why wait until now to announce that they are going to close it?" Noel asks.

Recruitment of doctors to Wallaceburg will be one of the items on the agenda of a special meeting called for the membership of the Sydenham District Hospital that will be held on July 20 at the Oaks Inn, Noel said.

The meeting will go from 4:30- 6:30 p.m.

Noel said that there is a CKHA committee recruiting physicians, but they have not recruited any family physicians to Wallaceburg.

"I think that has to be a major issue now," Noel said. "I think we have to open our eyes and get moving on doing something for recruitment of family physicians in Wallaceburg. It has to be a priority for all of us, SOS, CKHA, the directors of the CKHA board. It's crucial right now."

Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey said that all rural hospitals have to be very aware due to the shortage of doctors willing to work long hours.

Bailey said he is not willing to accept the fact the hospital in Petrolia will reduce hours.

"I am willing to work with the hospital, the doctors and the local community to try and prevent this," Bailey said.

He said he will also look into getting help from Health Force Ontario for the Petrolia hospital.

"If they are doing that in Wallaceburg, why wouldn't they do that in Petrolia?"

The Erie St. Clair Local Health Integration Network, said in press release, it doesn't support the proposal to cut in half the hours of the Petrolia ER.

The LHIN will require 30-60 days to review the proposal in order to consider the impact the change will have on the quality and access to care required for the patients who use the Petrolia ER. The LHIN also has to review the long-term sustainability of the proposed cut in ER hours.

The Ministry of Health will also need to be consulted on the proposed reduction of hours, the LHIN said in the release.

The situation in Petrolia is not unique, as all seven hospitals in the Erie-St. Clair LHIN is short physician coverage in the ER.

In February of 2009, LHIN CEO Gary Switzer announced a five-year agreement ensuring the ER at the CEE Hospital would not be downgraded to an urgent care centre.

A community outcry in Petrolia to stop the cuts resulted in the LHIN's five-year commitment to keep the status quo.

In May of 2009, CKHA requested a five-year planning window during which time the emergency departments would remain open at both Chatham and Wallaceburg, similar to a five-year window that the hospital in Petrolia received.

The five-year pledge was turned down by the LHIN due to the Rural and Northern Health panel study being done by the province.

Article ID# 2660862

______________________________________________________________________________________________________　

July 9

 

July 9

BLUEWATER HEALTH NEEDS TO STAFF PETROLIA'S ER

Sir: Bluewater Health has announced its intention to close CEE's Emergency Department between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. because there aren't enough doctors to cover the need.

Since it has been driven home that CEE is amalgamated with Bluewater Health in Sarnia, isn't it up to Bluewater Health's management to staff CEE's Emergency?

A couple of years ago, Gary Switzer guaranteed the people of Sarnia and Lambton County that CEE's Emergency would not be closed for five years. I was suspicious of his words because neither he nor any of the LHIN staff would put it in writing.

It is so tiresome to see these people try to con the people of Lambton County. Everybody knows the LHIN is a front for Dalton's Liberals in their plot to turn public (government) services over to greedy private interests. They play these cute games like not allowing a hospital to run a deficit while underfunding it. How long will it be before U.S. citizens have better public heathcare than we do?

What can we do about it? NDP next election -the party that brought us public medicare in the first place. Uncontrolled capitalism gave us the current recession and, every five to 10 years another one or a depression.

-- Bob Scott

Petrolia

Posted By CATHY DOBSON, THE OBSERVER

Bluewater Health's decision to shut down Petrolia's emergency department at night will be reviewed quickly and every attempt will be made to resolve a critical physician shortage, says Gary Switzer, CEO of the Erie- St. Clair LHIN (Local Health Integration Network).

"It's not fair to the community to take this down to the wire. We will see if anything can be done as soon as possible," he told The Observer Thursday.

Bluewater Health's board of directors endorsed a proposal Wednesday from ER doctors at Charlotte Eleanor Englehart (CEE) Hospital to close the department from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. nightly starting Sept. 29.

The town's seven physicians who work in the ER say they are stretched to the limit and can no longer sustain the heavy burden of long shifts and daily office hours, according to a statement released Thursday by Bluewater Health.

But the hospital can't decide unilaterally to make substantial changes to its emergency services and must have approval from the LHIN.

The LHIN doesn't support the doctors' proposal and is taking 30 to 60 days to review it, Switzer said.

"We have to look at quality of care and ensure it's maintained. We have to look at access and safety, plus long-term sustain-ability," he said.

The LHIN must consider how reduced ER hours in Petrolia will impact residents and the surrounding region, said Switzer.

His staff will work with the Ministry of Health and Longterm Care to come up with a workable strategy to keep the ER operating 24/7. Other small hospitals such as Sydenham District Hospital in Wallaceburg are provided with interim ER doctors through the government agency Health Force Ontario.

Bluewater Health has submitted a proposal to Health Force Ontario to bolster physician numbers in Petrolia but has not received approval. It's time for the LHIN to get involved with those negotiations, Switzer said.

"(The physicians) have done a great job in the past and they've done a great job recruiting in the past. Now they're realizing they just can't recruit so something has to be done," Switzer said.

ER doctor recruitment in Petrolia has proven difficult, despite exhaustive efforts by Dr. John Butler and the CEE Foundation, said Bluewater Health CEO Sue Denomy. Butler has worked tirelessly with town council, the mayor and hospital administration to attract new physicians, she said.

Student physicians were brought in for town tours this year but none chose to locate in Petrolia.

"Not all physicians want a rural, multi-dimensional practice and many don't want to work in emerg," Denomy said. "The younger and newer grads want to have a personal life. They don't want to be on call."

Denomy said Bluewater Health does not want to limit hours at CEE's emergency.

"This is not easy for us," she said. "It's definitely not where we wanted to go but the reality is we're here."

When two doctors left Petrolia last year, ER coverage "limped along" with seven remaining ones, she said. "And now a senior physician has indicated he wants to stop emergency shifts. A crisis was tripped."

Bluewater Health was criticized by the Sarnia-Lambton Health Coalition this week for failing to respond to rumours about ER cutbacks.

It was Petrolia Mayor John McCharles who fielded media questions when the news broke Wednesday.

A publicly-funded hospital should not make critical decisions that impact the community behind closed doors and without explanation, said coalition president Arlene Patterson.

Denomy defended the hospital's 24 hours of silence, saying hospital staff had to be informed first and discussions were initiated with the LHIN.

cdobson@theobserver.ca

Article ID# 2661537

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________　

 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

July 8

 

Posted By By Cathy Dobson

Members of the Sarnia Lambton Health Coalition say Bluewater Health has been strangely quiet about Wednesday's revelation that the ER at CEE Hospital in Petrolia will shut down every night starting in September.

"The hospital uses public dollars but the doors are locked on communication," said coalition president Arlene Patterson today.

The community is demanding answers as to why there aren't enough doctors to man the emergency department and keep it running 24 hours a day, she said.

On Wednesday, Petrolia Mayor John McCharles said the hospital's board of directors had accepted a recommendation from the doctors to shut down the ER from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily starting Sept. 29.

Hospital administration has yet to comment or make a formal announcement. Board chairman Bruce Davies confirmed to The Observer that the board supported the doctor's recommendation because of the human resources shortage in Petrolia.

"The board doesn't like the proposal either but there are some realities that aren't easily solved," he said.

But coalition members want to know more from Bluewater Health, particularly what measures have been taken to attract new physicians.

"We've got a corporation making a decision that impacts on the public, yet we hear nothing from it," Patterson said. "Is John McCharles the hospital's new spokesperson?"

"The public needs to hear what's going on," said Helen Havlik, vice-president of the coalition and a town councillor.

"There's been no public statement from the hospital. Who is in charge? Providing manpower for a hospital is the duty of Bluewater Health, the LHIN (Local Health Integration Network) and the Ministry of Health," Havlik said.

"We want accountability."

A spokesperson for the Erie-St. Clair LHIN has indicated that a formal statement will come from that office this afternoon.

However, repeated phone calls to Bluewater Health have gone unanswered today.

Article ID# 2660194

 ________________________________________________________________________________

July 8 pm

Posted By JACK POIRIER

The date was February 24, 2009. Hundreds of people packed Victoria Playhouse in Petrolia to cry out against a plan to reduce emergency department hours at Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital.

A group of six Petrolia doctors threatened resignation if Bluewater Health, under direction from the Erie- St. Clair LHIN, forged ahead with a proposal to turn the department into an urgent care centre.

The community backlash was swift and harsh.

The bureaucrats eventually backed down, the LHIN announcing it had come to an agreement with the doctors to maintain service at the emergency department.

As LHIN CEO Gary Switzer put it, the Petrolia ER would become a model for small emergency rooms in Ontario.

Fast forward to July 7, 2010, and it's deja vu all over again.

That "model" has collapsed with revelations there aren't enough staff at CEE to maintain 24/7 service in the emergency department. So, Bluewater Health holds a special session of its board of directors on Wednesday, with no public notice.

They decide behind closed doors to shut the Petrolia ER from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. beginning this fall. No formal announcement was made to the public.

Mr. Switzer tells The Observer the staffing shortages have long been known, and it's up to Bluewater Health to develop a contingency plan.

He says they've long anticipated a shortage.

So it begs the question: If this has been known for months what's been done to address it?

Switzer said that's up to hospital administration to address. But repeated calls throughout the day to get comment from Bluewater Health administrators prove fruitless.

Bluewater Health CEO Sue Denomy, who pulled in more than $300,000 from the public purse last year, was MIA all day.

Not even a released statement.

To his credit, Bluewater Health board chair Bruce Davies did respond to calls later in the day and confirmed staffing issues at CEE.

He said the board wants to work with the LHIN to find an agreeable solution, even though the board adopted a proposal to reduce ER hours this fall.

Switzer says he will not support the hospital's decision to reduce the hours of service at the ER department and the LHIN will begin it's own 30 to 60 day review.

So let the wrestling over public optics begin.

Meanwhile, the public waits for answers.

More may come today if top hospital administrators decide to comment.

One thing is certain, the public will not take any decision to reduced service lying down.

People love the CEE Hospital.

When my children have required emergency care in the past, my wife and I have thought nothing of driving our children to CEE, despite the fact we live in Sarnia.

As Arlene Patterson, chair of the Sarnia Health Coalition says, the last time this issue cropped up at CEE it "nearly incited riots in the streets."

People have a right to feel betrayed and have a right to demand answers from our local health officials, she said.

If history has taught us anything, unless people stand up and demand access to health care, you can expect cuts to the system.

Jack Poirier is a senior news editor at The Observer. Contact him at jpoirier@theobserver.ca.

Article ID# 2659429

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

July 8

 

CATHY DOBSON

The Observer

Petrolia doesn't have enough general practitioners to keep the emergency department at CEE Hospital open 24 hours a day, community leaders say.

A decision was made by the hospital board of directors Wednesday to close the ER from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily, starting Sept. 29, said Petrolia Mayor John McCharles.

The board approved the resolution after the community's scant supply of doctors said they are unable to staff a 24-hour department, he said.

"I'm sure it's not an easy decision for (the doctors)."

Petrolia's general practitioners want to maintain a 24-hour emergency department but are taxed to the limit.

McCharles said after meeting with Dr. John Butler, a GP who fought in the past to keep the ER open, McCharles realized there are only about four doctors available in Petrolia who answer calls to the emergency department.

"With so few of them, they can be on call for 24 hours at a time and then have office duties after that," McCharles said. "The doctors say the can work 30 to 40 hours at a stretch.

"They just don't have a life and say their health is at stake. We need at least three or four more doctors to help with on-call shifts."

Petrolia had nine family doctors five years ago but has lost two and others don't accept on-call shifts, primarily because of advancing age, McCharles said.

"I empathize with the doctors but we don't want to give up 24-hour ER service. The answer is to recruit new doctors," the mayor said.

McCharles and Lambton County Warden Jim Burns said they want to ensure every effort is made to find new general practitioners and keep CEE's ER open around-the-clock.

"There's no point in having a restaurant open if there's no cooks," Burns said. "The fact is we don't have enough doctors. These people are not superhuman. Everyone burns out."

He has called a special meeting of county council for Tuesday and asked Bluewater Health CEO Sue Denomy and Dr. Butler to attend to answer questions.

"I hope to hear from Bluewater Health about what they've done to attract doctors to Petrolia. I want to know if every single possibility has been exhausted," Burns said. "I want to know if there's something the county can do to help attract doctors."

He said he's concerned that once CEE's emergency department limits its hours, reverting to 24-hour service will be difficult.

"Then the next step may be to shut it down on weekends and then gradually we end up in a situation where the LHIN (Erie-St. Clair Local Health Integration Network) wanted to go last year and just shut the whole (emergency) down.

"Frankly I don't think that's acceptable to this community," Burns said. "We need 24-hour service."

In February of 2009, LHIN CEO Gary Switzer announced a five-year agreement ensuring the ER at Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital would not be downgraded to an urgent care centre.

Burns said Wednesday he is disturbed about any reduction in ER hours because it could lead to a downgrade despite the agreement.

"In the back of my mind I think maybe some of the LHIN board want reduced emergency service in Petrolia," he said. "This makes it very easy for them to do that. If you don't have the doctors, how can you keep the ER open?"

Burns said he understands few rural hospitals in Ontario have had to resort to reduced ER hours.

"I want to know why other communities are able to attract doctors to their emergency and we are not," he said.

McCharles said Petrolia council has discussed the decision to limit ER hours and intends to work on a strategy to recruit new doctors.

"If it's a matter of funding, maybe we join forces with the other communities around that are being serviced by CEE," he said

The mayor said town residents are accustomed to fighting cuts to their hospital.

Last year, a group of Petrolia physicians lead by Dr. Butler threatened to resign if a recommendation to reduce services at CEE's emergency wasn't scrapped.

A community outcry to stop the cuts resulted in the LHIN's five-year commitment to keep the status quo.

cdobson@theobserver.ca

Article ID# 2658557

 ___________________________________________________________________________

July 7

Not enough doctors to maintain current services: Switzer

 

OBSERVER STAFF

The emergency department at Bluewater Health's CEE Hospital in Petrolia will close at night.

Petrolia Mayor John McCharles said today hospital CEO Sue Denomy has confirmed the decision was made to reduce operating hours by closing the emergency department overnight between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.

A closed door meeting held this morning by Bluewater Health's board of directors is expected to develop a plan to address staffing issues.

Gary Switzer, CEO of the Erie-St. Clair Local Health Integration Network told The Observer that there have been staffing issues at Petrolia's ER Department and that it's up to Bluewater Health to develop a backup plan.

"They're having a tough time maintaining staff," Switzer said.

"We anticipated there would be a shortage of physicians."

Hospitals were asked earlier in the year to develop contingency plans to address the foreseen issues, Switzer said.

Lambton County Warden Jim Burns said the community's been down this road before and have made it clear it won't accept cuts to emergency care.

"This community will do what needs to be done to ensure our emergency department services," Burns said.

The warden added that it's possible there aren't enough doctors currently that can continue staffing the emergency department at adequate levels.

Burns said the LHIN, Bluewater Health and local municipal leaders must find ways to ensure the hospital is adequately staffed.

In February 2009, Switzer announced a five-year agreement ensuring the ER at Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital would not be downgraded to an urgent care centre.

The announcement came after months of threats, protests and petitions.

A group of Petrolia physicians had threatened to resign if the recommendation to reduce services at the ER wasn't scrapped.

At the time, LHIN officials said Petrolia's ER would be used as a model for small emergency rooms across the province, with potential for increased funding to fix health and safety issues revealed in a study by Hay Group consultants.

Switzer said then that the agreement would help to create a strategic plan to expand services at the hospital emergency room over the next five years.

Whatever contingency plan is created it should not include service disruptions in the ER department, said Sarnia Health Coalition's Arlene Patterson.

The last time this issue cropped up it "nearly incited riots in the streets," Patterson said.

"People are feeling betrayed," she said. "People have to demand access to health care. If people don't stand up and demand this they will close it."

There are avenues to investigate to help attract more health care workers if staffing is the issue, Patterson added.

Health Force Ontario, a recruiting arm of the provincial Ministry of Health, as well as a private company known as Med-Emerg, have historically helped communities to recruit new physicians and other health care workers, she said.

Article ID# 2657821

 _______________________________________________________________________________

July 7

OBSERVER STAFF

Bluewater Health officials are rumoured to be meeting this morning to discuss potential service cuts to the emergency department at Petrolia's CEE Hospital.

Lambton County Warden Jim Burns says he's been told that the special session will address whether to close the ER department overnight, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Bluewater Health officials have confirmed the meeting but not specifics.

Burns said this community's been down this road before and have made it clear it won't accept cuts to emergency care.

"This community will do what needs to be done to ensure our emergency department services," Burns said.

The warden added that it is possible there aren't enough doctors currently that can continue staffing the emergency department at adequate levels.

Burns said that the Erie St. Clair Local Health Integration Network, Bluewater Health and local municipal leaders must find ways to ensure the hospital is adequately staffed.

In February 2009, LHIN CEO Gary Switzer announced a five-year agreement ensuring the ER at Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital would not be downgraded to an urgent care centre.

The announcement came after months of threats, protests and petitions. in a victor

A group of Petrolia physicians had threatened to resign if the recommendation to reduce services at the ER wasn't scrapped.

At the time, LHIN officials said Petrolia's ER would be used as a model for small emergency rooms across the province, with potential for increased funding to fix health and safety issues revealed in a study by Hay Group consultants.

Switzer said the agreement would help to create a strategic plan to expand services at the hospital emergency room over the next five years.

Article ID# 2657821

 _______________________________________________________________________________

July 2

 

 

Ray Pickering wrote:

Hello Conrad.
Just thought I would give you my thoughts on how the meeting went.
I still have the feeling that it is very much us and them.
If our group had not been prepared for their negativity, by that I mean,
not accepting new business, did not want dialogue on the SDH finances etc.
We would have come away no further ahead.

Jeff, Sheldon, and Ann did a superb job of preparing for this.
I do not like the way our board behaves towards the members who elected
them. They seem to be very much controlled by the CKHA. All they want to
do is explain the rules of governance, which I believe is drummed into them
by the CKHA, and thus try to suppress any form of discussion from the floor.

It is good to see a new CEO and we will see if that is a good thing or not.
If I were him I would have felt quite embarrassed at the meeting to hear a voluntary
group offer to raise the funds to repair the gazebo, at SDH, and also ask for
permission to get the repairs done.

We are a long way from seeing anything positive coming our way but we
must keep the energy level high and then I believe we will get there in the end.
Thanks again to you and all the folks at SOS for your hard work and dedication.

Ray Pickering.
______________________________________________________________________

Conrad`s Editorial Comments

Thanks Ray for your comments. I hope that many more of our members will express their opinions as well as you did. 

____________________________________________________________________________________

July 1

 

Special hospital meeting called for July 20

New CEO will be there to address SDH members

Courier Press staff

As requested at the annual general meeting of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance last month, a special meeting as been called for the membership of the Sydenham District Hospital.

The special meeting will by held on July 20 at the Oaks Inn.

The meeting will go from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Topics at the meeting include a discussion with the board on establishing a maintenance fund where CKHA contributes an amount based on the value of membership fees raised in addition to volunteer labour and additional donations (money and goods) from the members.

One project that has been mentioned by SDH members is improvements to the gazebo that sits on the front lawn of the Wallaceburg hospital.

Other topics on the agenda of the special meeting include; discussion on suggested by-law amendments, questions relating to the financial reports and operations of SDH and a report on capital/facilities investment at the SDH.

The meeting will be one of the first duties of new CKHA CEO and president Colin Patey. Patey begins his duties with the CKHA on July 19.

Article ID# 2650189

 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

July 1

Posted By Daily News Staff

Recommendations related to emergency department services will not be made by the newly formed Primary Health Care Task Group.

During the committee's first meeting last Thursday, the group decided that the scope of its work wouldn't include ED recommendations, the Erie St. Clair Local Health Integration Network said in a news release on Canada Day.

"This advisory committee will not be studying or recommending on any aspect of the various EDs in the ESC LHIN. Rather we will be looking to find ways to provide equitable timely access to all our populations. Our recommendations to the LHIN board will always be patient focussed," said chair Dr. Glenn Bartlett, in a news release.

Officials with the ESCLHIN couldn't be reached for comment on Canada Day.

It is expected that the group will lead a county-by-county review of the current state of primary health care in the region and submit prioritized recommendations to the ESCLHIN board of directors for improvements, the press release stated.

The three primary goals outlined for the group at the recent meeting include:

• Increased availability of primary health care options

• Greater equity of service

• Improved health outcomes.

The next meeting is scheduled for July 21 at the ESCLHIN. All meetings are open to the public.

 _______________________________________________________________________________

June 30 

 

Nick Brownlee (Mrs)
Senior Executive Assistant & Governance Co-Ordinator
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, PO Box 2030
Chatham, ON N7M 5L9
Tel: 519-437-6001 Fax: 519-436-2522
nbrownlee@ckha.on.ca
http://www.ckha.on.ca

 

                                                    SYDENHAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL

 

Notice is hereby given that a Special Meeting of the Members of the SDH Corporation

will be held on

________________________________________________________________________________

 

June 26

News Release

New Volunteers Join CKHA Boards of Directors

CHATHAM-KENT -- At the June 24th Annual General Meetings of Sydenham District, Public General and St. Joseph’s Hospitals, volunteer Boards were appointed as follows.

Sydenham District Hospital
Gary Martin, Leah McArthur (Chair), Brian Slack, Randy Smith, Ron Tack, Paul Weese (Vice-Chair), and Wendy Weston (Treasurer).

St. Joseph’s Hospital

Monica Bacic, Carolynn Barko, Mark Isherwood (Vice-Chair), Fr. Michael Michon, Gail Rumble (Treasurer), Jennifer Wilson, and Jon Wood (Chair).

Public General Hospital

Gail Baldwin (Treasurer), Mike Grant, Jane Havens, Jim Laforet (Vice-Chair), Brenda Richardson, Robert Ryan, and Wayne Schnabel (Chair)

The following individuals were appointed as Community Representatives to a Tri-Board Committee: Liz Brown, Angela Corso, Dan Donaldson, George Duquette, Ron Fleming, Kurtina Hammerlein, Victor Lu, Dr. Michael McLauchlin, Liz Meidlinger, Erik Mitchell, Martin VanBommel, and Judy VanderPol

The following are members of the Tri-Board in an ex-officio capacity by virtue of their offices: Dr. Gary Tithecott, Chief of Medical Staff; Dr. Wally Pakulis, President of Medical Staff, Dr. Dennis Atoe, Vice-President of Medical Staff and Colin Patey, President and CEO.

 

Patey was announced earlier in the week as the newly appointed President and CEO for Chatham-Kent Health Alliance and was in attendance at the meeting.

 

The three hospital Boards function as a Tri-Board -- focusing on strategic planning, Mission, Vision and Values, quality and performance monitoring, financial and management oversight, risk identification and oversight, stakeholder communication and accountability, governance and legal compliance.

 

Board nominations are made through an open advertisement process by a Joint Nominating Committee and confirmed at the annual general meetings.  For more information about the Boards of Directors, Tri-Board meeting dates, or to view “Board Highlights” published after each monthly meeting, go to CKHA’s website, www.ckha.on.ca and click on “Directors”.

 

Chatham-Kent Health Alliance is a partnership of Public General, St. Joseph’s and Sydenham District Hospitals that brings together the strengths of each hospital to provide patients and families with compassionate, quality healthcare, close to home.  Together, in the past year, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance served the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs of over 10,600 in-patients and 64,000 Emergency Room patient visits.  Its 1200 staff and 500 volunteers are ‘Caring People, Caring for People’ supporting the residents of Chatham-Kent, South Lambton and Walpole Island First Nations.

Media Contacts regarding Board Appointments:

Board Chairs:
Leah McArthur (519) 627-8508
Wayne Schnabel (519) 674-0222
Jon Wood (519) 351-1447

 _________________________________________________________________________________

June 25 

 

If you attended the CKHA AGM on Thursday June 24, I would love to hear your comments and get your reaction.  With your permission, I would also like to post them on our SOS website.

 

Where to email your comments?

Conrad Noel

________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

June  21   No New Business Allowed at CKHA AGM

 

Sheldon - please share with the SDH Members - nothing is easy!!

-----Original Message-----
From: Wesley, Jeff 
Sent: June 21, 2010 11:05 AM
To: 'Nicki Brownlee'
Cc: LEAH MC ARTHUR
Subject: RE: AGM

Good Morning:

Thanks for the response back - I am sincerely trying to resolve member issues prior to the meeting. Unfortunately I see nothing in section 4.04 that relates in any way to the issue of new business. 

Under section 4.01 (b) it states, "The business transacted at the annual meeting of the Corporation shall include: 

(vii) new business;"

The use of the word "shall" is very important as "shall" does not allow discretion as to whether you consider new business or not. Had the drafters wanted discretion to be allowed then the more permissive word "may" could have been used.

On a non legal note I find it tough to understand why you do not want to allow members to ask questions or put forward topics for consideration by the Board at a future date. To think that it would be expected that members would attend an AGM, listen, not ask questions and then be expected to vote of topics on the agenda makes no sense to me.

As I said to Leah surely there must be something positive that can come out of the SDH AGM between the Board and the members?

Jeff.

-----Original Message-----
From: Nicki Brownlee [mailto:nbrownlee@ckha.on.ca] 
Sent: June 21, 2010 9:47 AM
To: Wesley, Jeff
Cc: LEAH MC ARTHUR
Subject: RE: AGM

Thank you for your e-mail.

New business is included as an item in section 4.01(b)(vii) so that the
annual meeting will include any new business that has occurred over the
previous year that is within the authority of the members to consider or
that requires the members' consideration.  This would include, for
example, bylaw amendments which are brought to the annual meeting where
these have been passed by the board pursuant to the bylaws.

Where there is such business to be considered, notice of the business
must be given to members under section 4.04.  As a general principle of
notice, before an issue can be discussed at a members' meeting, all
members must have received notice in advance of the meeting which sets
out the nature of the issue to be discussed so that each member knows
what will be discussed when they decide whether to attend the meeting
and can prepare for the discussion.  It is not proper to discuss a new
issue at a meeting without having given advance notice to all members,
as those members who are not present will not have the opportunity to
participate in the discussions and the members present will not have had
the opportunity to prepare.

For this year's notice, as there was no new business to be considered by
the members this year, it has not been included in the notice and will
not be on the agenda.

I trust that this answers your question.


Nick Brownlee (Mrs)
Senior Executive Assistant & Governance Co-Ordinator 
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, PO Box 2030 
Chatham, ON N7M 5L9 
Tel: 519-437-6001 Fax: 519-436-2522 
nbrownlee@ckha.on.ca 
http://www.ckha.on.ca 


-----Original Message-----
From: Wesley, Jeff [mailto:JWesley@uniongas.com] 
Sent: Friday, June 18, 2010 9:02 AM
To: Nicki Brownlee
Subject: AGM

Good Morning:

I noticed that new business was not listed on the AGM agenda but as per
4.01 (b) (vii) of the bylaws it is part of the business transacted at
the AGM. I spoke with Leah who said no it was not and there must be
notice of new business given in advance. I do not see this anywhere in
the by-laws.

Prior to the AGM please have someone respond to me and point out where
in the by-laws it supports what Leah said. I believe my interpretation
is correct and failing CKHA showing me something different I will seek
to add this to the AGM agenda. If you show me I am incorrect then I will
refrain from bringing it up.
Thanks.
Jeff.
_________________________________________________________________

 

 

Letter to the editor from today’s Chatham Daily News (http://www.ChathamDailyNews.ca/).  

SWITZER COMMENTS A NON-RESPONSE TO HOSPITAL REPORT

Sir:    Re: Gary Switzer, CEO, Erie St. Clair Local Health Integration Network (ESC LHIN) full-page response to the OHC Report is very much a non-response. In reality, it is a slap in the face to the people living in Wallaceburg and surrounding area.

The Report appealed for equity and improved access (in Wallaceburg's case, return of access), brackets mine, to hospital services in rural and northern communities. Note -rural and northern.

Twelve hearings were held March 4-27, in communities stretching from Wallaceburg to New Liskeard. Panelists included doctors, nurses, an MP, MPP and the director of the OHC, who also serves on the board of the Canadian Health Coalition. The panel received input from 1,150 citizens.

SunMedia's Queen's Park reporter, Christina Blizzard's response, after reading the OHC Report was, "Rural and northern health care gets failing grade," "shocking," and "a report that sounds the alarm bells about rural and northern communities."

Yet, Switzer states the report does not "accurately address the important role of the LHIN." It's not about the role of the LHIN, sir. It's about quality health care; health care 14 LHINs across Ontario have removed from small and rural hospitals.

What is it that's not understood about the OHC report? Is it the word "quality" or is it "rural?" Perhaps it's the two words together as in "quality rural" health care, especially as it pertains to Sydenham District Hospital (SDH), that is not grasped.

Surely, a CEO receiving $313,119.50 in salary and bonuses, plus handing out $650,000 in untendered contracts, and managing $1 billion of local health-care funds, is capable of recognizing inequity in access to quality hospital services in rural areas?

In your remarks, one and only one reference is made to Wallaceburg, Leamington and Petrolia's rurality. And I quote ". . . with a strong emphasis on the need of Erie St. Clair's rural community." Are the "strong emphases" to further plunder SDH or return and restore what the LHIN has removed?

The LHIN system is working? For whom? The system does not appear to be working for Wallaceburg, Leamington and Petrolia.

I wholeheartedly agree with the OHC recommendation that LHINs be phased out over a three-year period. The money saved in salaries and consulting fees alone will go a long way to restoring small rural hospitals to the full-service status they once enjoyed.

-- Anne Stewart Wallaceburg

________________________________________________________________________________

June 10

 

 CKHA Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, Anthony DiCaita has been appointed as Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer at Humber River Regional Hospital (HRRH) effective August 2nd, 2010.

CKHA officials said HRRH is a one of Canada’s largest regional acute care hospitals, serving a catchment area of more than 850,000 people in the northwest GTA. The hospital currently operates on three sites with a total of 549 beds, 3,000 staff, approximately 700 physicians and 400 volunteers. Affiliated with the University of Toronto, the hospital is home to Ontario’s first Centre of Excellence for laparoscopic bariatric surgery; Canada’s first home nocturnal dialysis program and a major cancer program. Humber River’s redevelopment plan, approved by the provincial government, will see it commence construction of Ontario’s first digital hospital in 2011, one that Humber River plans to make a technological and environmental showcase.

”The dedication and commitment of staff and physicians is evident throughout CKHA,” said DiCaita. “As the face and demands of our healthcare system in this province continue to change, the community of Chatham-Kent is very fortunate to have the quality and access to care provided by CKHA.”

Interim President and CEO, Shona Elliott, congratulated Anthony on his new position.

“During Anthony’s tenure with us, he initiated our participation with PIP – a formalized improvement plan to positively affect the flow of patients through the Emergency and Medicine departments. As the Executive Sponsor of !magine, Anthony continued to lead CKHA’s efforts with respect to redevelopment of our facilities in Chatham and Wallaceburg. He also initiated a review of our marketshare to determine the volumes and types of patient care that could potentially be repatriated to our community. We have benefited from Anthony’s diverse background and expertise and wish him well in his new leadership role.”

The VP/CFO portfolio at CKHA includes the Medicine, Emergency, Mental Health and Addictions, Diagnostic Imaging, Central Ambulance Communication Centre, Finance, Health Information Services, Information Systems, Materiel Management and Pharmacy.

CKHA will undertake a recruitment process shortly.

 ______________________________________________________________________________

 Conrad's editorial:

 Didn't Anthony start in August 2009 and  within a year leaves CKHA ?   That's only 1 year on the job. His predecessor didn't stay very long either.   I wonder why?

________________________________________________________________________________

 June 8

CKHA addressing needs at aging facilities in Wallaceburg and Chatham

 Chatham-Kent Health Alliance continues its !magine planning to address the needs of the aging facilities at its Public General campus (Chatham) and Sydenham campus (Wallaceburg).

The !magine Steering Committee, comprised of representatives of the Tri-Board of Directors, the Erie St. Clair LHIN, and hospital management, have continued regular meetings for the past 18 months, diving deeply into issues and opportunities to retool, rebuild and renew its hospitals in keeping with its Strategic Plan.

!magine Committee Chair, Jim Laforet stated, “We recognize that any plans to significantly change or invest in hospital facilities is a complex, two to three year planning process that requires multiple steps with the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. We were pleased that the very first step – the LHIN’s endorsement to proceed to the Ministry with a pre-proposal – occurred in March. This allows the local project to get on the Ministry’s radar.”

As part of the planning process, CKHA has:

• Received data from medical directors, program leaders and engineering staff
• Reviewed community demographics (present and future projections including health demographics)
• Initiated a market research study to explore the volume and type of care sought in neighbouring communities that could potentially be repatriated to Chatham-Kent
• Held a focus group of community thought leaders to seek insights into methods of community engagement
• Endorsed a Board policy which outlines the principles and scope of community engagement which will guide CKHA’s public efforts going forward
• Continued to assess the current state of its facilities, including the completion of a multi-year roofing project at Sydenham District Hospital
• Regularly reported !magine progress at Tri-Board meetings

Tri-Board Executive Committee Chair, Jennifer Wilson stated: “We look forward to timely Ministry approvals in order to continue our re-development plans. We are also awaiting the provincial recommendations of the Rural and Northern Healthcare Panel. There is urgency in moving forward …Our facilities date back 50 years and have served us well, but we need new facilities that support modern health care delivery and will be there for us long into the future. ”

Shona Elliott, Interim President and CEO, stated: “While we had earlier committed to Fall, Winter and Spring presentations to the public regarding the !magine project, the Committee needs to wait for Ministry approval to move to the next stage of planning. This will allow us to have a clearer idea of our options and possible directions for our facility re-development. At that time, CKHA will again host public meetings in its series called, “CKHA Today & Tomorrow.” (earlier presentations are available at www.ckha.on.ca (click on Resources, then on Today and Tomorrow)

________________________________________________________________________________

June 3

A reminder message from Sheldon

 

________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

Posted By Chatham Daily News

Sir: Re: MPP Standing firm on drug reform. I hope our MPP Maria Van Bommel will forgive me if I reserve my sympathy for patients, who will really be the ones hurt by her government's massive cuts to frontline health care.

This is not the time for our member of provincial parliament to deal with this issue as if it were a chess game -this is about the people in her riding's communities who will have less access to community healthcare, not about pushing her government's political agenda.

There is no question that cutting $750 million out of the system will make it virtually impossible for pharmacists to offer patients the same level of care that they receive today.

My question is, why are reduced levels of health care acceptable to her? Why does she continue to try and convince patients that cutting their frontline healthcare is for their own good? She knows it's not.

It is unfortunate that Mrs. Van Bommel chooses to discount the recent Angus Reid opinion poll on cuts to frontline healthcare. The first to criticize surveys are usually those who don't like the results.

Her constituents have spoken. They say that pharmacies are essential to the community and that the government has a responsibility to ensure that patients have good access to pharmacists in their communities.

Two out of three say that their local MPP has the responsibility to speak out and oppose the cuts to local pharmacies.

Two out of three say that the government removing over half a billion dollars from Ontario pharmacies is indeed a healthcare cut.

We need our MPP to do the right thing and stand up for the people in our communities. We need her to tell her government that these reckless cuts to our frontline healthcare need to stop.

To find out more, visit

www.stopcuts.ca.

-- Randy Luckham Pharmacist/Owner

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

The head of an advocacy group for the Sydenham District Hospital in Wallaceburg is praising a report released Monday by the Ontario Health Coalition.

The report appeals for equity and improved access to hospital services in rural Ontario, the coalition said in a news release.

The 92-page document is based on input received from more than 1,150 people who attended 12 hearings in regions across Ontario in March.

Wallaceburg hosted the first session on March 4.

"I think they did an excellent job," said Jeff Wesley, chair of Save Our Sydenham.

The coalition said it organized its own public hearings after the government's rural and northern health panel, created after hospital closures in small and rural communities, refused to hold any public consultations. "They have confirmed a lot of the things we felt and we've experienced in Wallaceburg," Wesley said. "The coalition has basically done what the rural northern health care and the province should have done from the beginning: go out into the affected communities and listen and learn about what is going on out there."

Key recommendations from the Ontario Health Coalition report, "Toward Access and Equality: Realigning Ontario's Approach to Small and Rural Hospitals to Serve Public Values" include:

* Create a basket of services available in every hospital, including the small and amalgamated hospitals. These services include an emergency department, blood, x-ray, ultrasound, inpatient acute and complex continuing care beds, palliative care close to home, rehabilitation and others.

* Ensure that these services are provided at optimum, 20 minutes and at most 30 minutes with average road conditions from residents' homes.

* Phase out the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) within three years and create new local planning organizations with a new mandate that does not include closing rural hospitals.

* Impose a hiring freeze on consultants and plan to increase hospital funding to meet the national average.

"We don't ask for all the services, we just want those ones that are critical to our communities," said Wesley, agreeing with the key recommendations in the report.

For a community like Wallaceburg that has been hard-hit economically, Wesley said access to hospitals and health care has additional importance.

"One of the main considerations and key measures that business and industry look at when they look at locating in communities is do they have a functioning hospital; do they have adequate health care, from both an emergency point of view and from a day-to-day basis for employees," Wesley said.

In addition to the Wallaceburg area, Wesley said SDH also serves the Walpole First Nation, a large agricultural community, Community Living and is available for emergencies in the nearby chemical industry.

Among other issues the report is critical of LHINs. Barb Proctor, an RN, and one of several panelists that traveled Ontario for the hearings, said they heard an "overwhelming consensus that the health-care dollars spent to set up and operate the 14 LHINs across the province could have been better invested in patient care.

"LHINs have not demonstrated improvements in care, only service cuts that leave huge gaps in service delivery," Proctor said in a news release.

Meanwhile, Wesley is anxious to see the report from the government's rural and northern health panel. While he is not sure when that report will be released, he said it could have ramifications for future advocacy efforts in Wallaceburg.

"SOS is waiting and that type of document is either going to call us back into action or give us some peace of mind."

Article ID# 2582750

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

By: Sudbury Northern Life Staff

Recommendations made in a report released by the Ontario Health Coalition May 17 about rural and northern health care should be reviewed and considered by the provincial government, according to Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas.

The Ontario Health Coalition, a citizens' health care advocacy group, “filled the vacuum” left because of gaps in the mandate in the province's own Rural and Northern Health Care Panel, Gélinas said, in a press release.

During Question Period, Gélinas reminded the government about protests in April 2009, when citizens spoke out at Queen's Park about cuts to remote hospitals.
In response to the public's protests, the government announced its Rural and Northern Health Care Panel.

In October, the panel made its mandate known, and it did not include hospitals.  
In response, the Ontario Health Coalition released a report that offered recommendations to improve remote and rural health care, the press release stated.

“The Ontario Health Coalition filled the vacuum and ensured that the voices of rural and northern Ontario were heard,” Gélinas stated.

The coalition organized a seven-member panel, and held 12 public meetings, listened to 1,150 residents and received 487 submissions, she said.

“In the absence of its own report, will the government commit to reviewing the coalition's detailed report and take immediate action that will benefit the health care of Ontarians who live in rural and northern communities?”

 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

By CKDP Staff

The Ontario Health Coalition is releasing a comprehensive report today (May 17) entitled: Towards Access and Equality – Realigning Ontario’s approach to Small and Rural Hospitals to Serve Public Values.

Wallaceburg resident Jeff Wesley, chair of the local group – Save Our Sydenham – spoke on behalf of the local group, in order to reflect upon the report, which summarizes a series of public meetings that took place across the province.

“Wallaceburg and SOS were pleased to take a leadership role and be the location of the first hearing back on March 4,” Wesley stated. “The needs and concerns of SDH play a prominent role in the report.”

Wesley said he is happy that the concerns of the public will now be written down, and submitted to the Rural and Northern Health Care Panel.

“The Hearings were held because no one else was listening nor asking our community what we thought,” Wesley said. “Now, at least our voices are on the record. This report will go to the Premier, Minster of Health and will serve as a detailed document to give to the Rural and Northern Health Care Panel… while we wait for their report.”

Wesley said rural residents are tired of being treated as second class citizens.

“Why do only those in large urban centres have the right to timely emergency care?” Wesley said. “Emergency departments are an essential service.”

What else does the report conclude:

Here is a summary of some of the points in the report, provided by Wesley:

1. There is a total absence of any type of meaningful public input from those affected by hospital cuts in rural and small communities.

• The Province has held no similar hearings.
• The Rural and Northern Health Care Panel has asked for no public input to date and has refused to meet with local stakeholders.
• The panel found a culture of disrespect for hospital advocates (including the general public) by ministry of health staff, LHINs, hospital CEOs and local hospital boards – none of which were seen to represent the interests of the community.

2. The public is upset because hospital funding is not going to patient priorities but rather is wasted on exorbitant executive salaries, bureaucracy (eHealth), LHINs and consultants. Front line health care should be last…not first to be cut.

3. The LHINs lack credibility and the public cannot see value in what they do – this is the case in every area of the province.

4. SDH serves not only Wallaceburg and area but also Walpole Island First Nation, large agricultural communities, Community Living and is there for emergencies in the chemical industry located nearby. SDH also takes overflow emergency cases from the Chatham site of the CKHA. SDH is vital.

5. A local hospital is a key measure for business and industry who are making a decision to locate in a particular community.

The CKDP will be providing a link to the full report when it becomes available.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

 

Attached please find a copy of the Ontario Health Coalition Report. It is long (92 pages), comprehensive and well written. I am pleased to provide comments related to Sydenham District Hospital. If you have further questions or wish to conduct an interview please contact me via email or by phone at 519-436-4612.

Comments:

Wallaceburg and SOS were pleased to take a leadership role and be the location of the first hearing back on March 4th . The needs and concerns of SDH play a prominent role in the report.

The Hearings were held because no one else was listening nor asking our community what we thought – now at least our voices are on the record. This report will go to the Premier, Minster of Health and will serve as a detailed document to give to the Rural and Northern Health Care Panel….while we wait for their report.

Rural residents are tired of being treated as second class citizens – why do only those in large urban centres have the right to timely emergency care?

Emergency departments are an essential service!

What else does the report conclude:

1. There is a total absence of any type of meaningful public input from those affected by hospital cuts in rural and small communities.

- The Province has held no similar hearings.

- The Rural and Northern Health Care Panel has asked for no public input to date and has refused to meet with local stakeholders.

- The panel found a culture of disrespect for hospital advocates (including the general public) by ministry of health staff, LHINs, hospital CEOs and local hospital boards – none of which were seen to represent the interests of the community.

2. The public is upset because hospital funding is not going to patient priorities but rather is wasted on exorbitant executive salaries, bureaucracy (eHealth), LHINs and consultants. Front line health care should be last…not first to be cut.

3. The LHINs lack credibility and the public cannot see value in what they do – this is the case in every area of the province.

4. SDH serves not only Wallaceburg and area but also Walpole Island First Nation, large agricultural communities, Community Living and is there for emergencies in the chemical industry located nearby. SDH also takes overflow emergency cases from the Chatham site of the CKHA. SDH is vital!

5. A local hospital is a key measure for business and industry who are making a decision to locate in a particular community.

All the best,

Jeff.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

 

March 10

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

March 10 

 

Comments from Ray Pickering  who attended the OHC Hearings on March 4th.

 

Ray Pickering wrote:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by Erica Bajer, The Daily News

SOS Toll Free Phone Calls

 

 

Please Contact us and tell us what you thought of the meeting.    What did you friends say?     Positive and negative comments will be  most appreciated.    You can also email me directly:  conrad@saveoursydenham.com

 

Thanks

 

Conrad Noel SOS Vice Chair

 

The Sydenham hospital is needed, while there is little need for provincial bureaucracy.

Those were two of the main messages heard by an Ontario Health Coalition panel Thursday in Wallaceburg.

The health panel is examining the future of small, rural and northern hospitals. The coalition's hearing at the Oak's Inn was the first of 12 that will be held across the province. The hearings will wrap up March 27.

Various people provided information and told stories, some personal, about their health care experiences. Overall, 28 people, including many from other rural centres, such as Strathroy, Petrolia and Leamington, addressed the health panel.

Adrien McCabe, a resident of Oil Springs, said she feel let down by the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN).

McCabe said her husband Alistair went to the hospital in September of 2008, and was refused a biopsy in London because it was outside the LHIN in which they resided. He died a month later from cancer.

"It's geographic genocide," she said. McCabe said she was looking for answers on why her husband was not given treatment. She decided to tell her story at the public hearing on Thursday.

"I had gotten discouraged with not getting any results with the contact with the health care system," McCabe said.

After going public with her story at the meeting, she said she feels better. "I feel better that I don't have to go through this all by myself now."

Among the speakers at the hearing were mayors Steve Arnold from St. Clair Township, Don McGugan from Brooke-Alvinston and Chatham-Kent mayor Randy Hope. All spoke about the importance of the Wallaceburg hospital to their communities.

"It doesn't matter whether you are talking about people from Wallaceburg, Walpole Island, St. Clair Township, anywhere; people see the value of in having a viable hospital, in a viable emergency department here in Wallaceburg," said Jeff Wesley, chair of the Save Our Sydenham (SOS) group.

Dr. Bill Currier, chairman of the Wallaceburg Community Task Force, which recently attracted two significant employers to set up in Wallaceburg, said the presence of a hospital was imperative in getting the two new industries.

"Without the hospital we would have lost both opportunities," Currier said.

Many speakers suggested that the LHIN be removed as an unnecessary level of bureaucracy, and the savings passed on to provide more immediate health care.

Panel member Roger Gallaway, a retired Liberal MP, said he heard a consensus message of how there is a failure of the LHINs to communicate with the people in the community. It has been a total failure, Gallaway said.

"That came across loud and clear." Gallaway called LHINs "antidemocratic."

"We are living in age of experts tell us what is best for the communities, I think it's time for the communities to tell the experts what is best for their communities," Gallaway said.

The coalition panel includes members from all of the mainstream political parties, said Natalie Mehra, coalition director and panel member.

The government's Northern and Rural Health Care Panel is supposed to hold public hearings, but not until after it has submitted recommendations to the health minister.

Mehra said for months the coalition asked the Liberal government to hold public hearings on the issue, with no luck.

"We thought we would do it ourselves," explained Mehra.

The coalition is scheduled to release its report on what they heard in the public meetings in April. The report from the province's health care panel is expected around the same time.

Article ID# 2477844

 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

March 5th

Letters to the Editor      Chatham Daily News

CHATHAM PATIENTS SHOULD EMPATHIZE WITH WALLACEBURG

Sir: It was not surprising but rather shocking to read that there was a full emergency department in Chatham on Feb. 11 and that Sydenham Campus received six patients by ambulance. Statistically, there has been an average of three such instances in a given month. Mathematically, that means 36 frightened patients from Chatham were sent away from their own local health-care facility in Chatham.

We wonder how these last six patients felt of not being accommodated at their own local hospital in Chatham? We should also survey the last 30 Chatham patients who could not be accommodated in Chatham because their own ER facility would not accommodate them.

These patients should empathize with Sydenham patients that are unwillingly forced to go to Chatham.

We all ask ourselves how much longer and how many times a year must patients from the Sydenham Campus catchment area fear the unknown of being shipped to Chatham when Sydenham Campus should and could adequately meet their emergency needs?

Stress and fear are two major factors that are NOT conducive to the healing process. The fear of the unknown is the worst possible fear when one's life is being threatened.

The question that my wife and I often ask ourselves is why can't the local LHIN and the CKHA openly announce that there has been, is, and will continue to have a long-term need of two viable ERs?

Viable meaning sufficient acute beds at Sydenham to accommodate patients requiring hospitalization here in Wallaceburg. Five beds is not enough and has not been enough ever since CKHA imposed its near-final rape to Sydenham Campus.

When will the LHIN admit that its great plans for an urgent care centre is not adequate if it does not include a viable, well-equipped ER in Wallaceburg with sufficient acute beds?

We know the LHIN has asked "that hospitals provide contingency plans to help ensure that we can keep our ED open." On Facebook, Gary Switzer goes on to write that "We need both". If that is the case, the incident of a full ER in Chatham proves the point that Sydenham Campus needs to remain as a hospital, not only for the next few budget years but for the next 50 budget years.

-- Conrad & Fleurette Noel Wallaceburg

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

LOW PATIENT VOLUMES/ HIGH PATIENT VOLUMES A CONCERN; WHICH IS IT?

Sir: Low patient volumes are a huge concern for the Chatham- Kent Health Alliance

That is what I recently read in The Chatham Daily News. I recently brought my son to our local Chatham hospital for services in the emergency department. My son was treated well but we waited to see a doctor for three and half hours. I am told that is a good wait; some have waited longer.

When I questioned staff about their fast-track clinic I was told that it operates until 4 p.m. with a nurse practitioner and at 4 p.m., a doctor is available.

I realize the doctor shortage and of the different needs of different patients, but if a doctor was available to see patients regularly, then perhaps patients would not go elsewhere to be seen by a doctor. I have personally used the services of a nurse practitioner before and she was very helpful, but just the same, she was not a doctor.

Perhaps if a sick or injured patient was sure to get needed help on a timely manner by a doctor at some point, they would not feel the need to go elsewhere in hopes of faster service, including travel time.

I have spoken to people who travel to other cities for hospital services that can be done right here in Chatham-Kent but due to wait times and the odds of being seen by a doctor, they have chosen to go elsewhere. In some cases, they were seen, diagnosed and treated, including travel times, faster elsewhere than those waiting in our hospitals right here in Chatham-Kent.

Personally speaking, my only words of advice is to pick up the pace, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance.

-- Kimberley Walsh Chatham

Article ID# 2477880
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

.

I've decided my hometown is where i'll reside once again after 5 years in the GTA(greater Toronto area). This is possible now as my career is in demand once again in this area(machining, mouldmaking). My fiancee had broken her tibia plateau (shin at knee area). With the er here in wallaceburg having given her some pain killer pills she cried that there was only a few pills and were gone quickly. To myself at the time it was very apparent that not enough was there for the amount of time till the next visit. I brought here to the er again and not only was the waiting room completely full but there were even some people standing. With much difficulty to crutch her in she cried in pain and not one person offered a chair for her, not even the staff of the hospital offered and there was 3 staff that were having to see her and myself as we ere even in the hallway because of not being room in the waiting room. basically all people could see us easilly from both waiting room and the staff windows. she had enough pain and suffering edured at the hands of this overcongested system so she asked that she just bring her home. Before this situation she had given birth to our daughter in chatham. The chatham maternity staff kept labeling our dauther as a boy, in multiple forms and paperwork. This labour scene was rushed to be done in two days no more as the staff said`there was alot of prognancies happenning and overloading thier abilities. Anyhow if I recall exact details of other nature and need to pull out my paperwork from such pls let me know as I am not feeling as though my heath care is good enough, not even close. Jeff Morin

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

 Comments from Anne Stewart

 

 

Letter from Travis Hooper to Maria Van Bommel, M.P.P.

Feb. 20

Dear Maria Van Bommel,

My local hospital is already facing a considerable deficit. If a funding freeze is implemented for 2010 and 2011, critical community services could disappear.

The spending of $1 billion on eHealth with little to show for it, and another $1 million a day spent on private consultants, shows me that the Ontario government's priorities do not match my vision for optimal community healthcare. My rural hospital has already cut beds and services. If funding doesn't keep up with demand, equity of access will be further reduced for those of us who do not live in a major urban area.

My vote in the next election depends on how the political parties respond to this issue. Without our health care, we have nothing. Please give our hospitals the resources they need to get the job done.

I would like to know how you will advocate in provincial parliament to improve the resources of our community hospitals, and allow them to provide quality and timely health care services.

Please save our hospitals our lives depend on it. This is a democracy where the people have the say, and what they are saying is stop the bogus spending and put the money into proper health care, no more study's, no more e-health, no more trying to make it cheaper to do business. Health care is a right we all have, and this government needs to start giving back to the people that control their fate.

Sincerely,

Travis Hooper

Wallaceburg

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

CATHY DOBSON

The Observer

If Ontario won't solicit public input on the state of its hospitals, the Ontario Health Coalition says it will. The coalition is urging public participation at a series of 12 hearings that begin March 4 in Wallaceburg. On Monday, coalition members will be at Queen's Park to announce the hearings, said local representative Helen Havlik.  Havlik, a retired director of nursing at CEE Hospital in Petrolia and vice-chair of the Sarnia-Lambton Health Coalition, says she's concerned the Ministry of Health will make decisions about rural and northern hospitals without hearing from the public. "Where is the democracy in that?" she asked. "We want to hear about individual experiences with the hospital system. We're worried about the future of rural ERs and the future of rural hospitals. Port Colborne and Fort Erie have already been closed," Havlik said. A hotline to collect information from the public was set up by the Sarnia-Lambton Health Coalition last October but only attracted three or four calls. The response was a disappointment to organizers who believe the emergency department at CEE Hospital may be in jeopardy, said Havlik. She believes a five-year agreement to keep Petrolia's ER open has led to complacency among local residents. "They think everything's OK. We're not sure that it's OK at all. Bluewater Health has a deficit and they'll have to make cuts somewhere."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health promised to form a panel to examine health care in rural and northern Ontario. Their report is expected later this year but will be written without discussions with the public. The point of the coalition's 12 hearings is to give the government public input before the report is written, Havlik said. The results of the 12 hearings will be delivered to the Minister of Health and Premier Dalton McGuinty in the legislature, she said. Anyone interested in providing a written submission to the Ontario Health Coalition should make their submission prior to the date of the hearing nearest them. Submissions can be sent to ohc@sympatico.ca. Those who want to make a five-minute presentation to the coalition during the hearing in Wallaceburg, need to register before Friday, Feb. 26 by calling the coalition at 416-441-2502.  The 12 hearings will be attended by seven panelists who will listen to the presentations and ask questions. Two of the panelists are from Sarnia-Lambton, including former MP Roger Gallaway and Dr. Tim Macdonald, the former chief of staff at CEE Hospital. The Wallaceburg hearing runs 3 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. at the Oaks Inn on McNaughton Avenue, Thursday, March 4. Subsequent hearings will take place at Shelburne, Kincardine, Welland, Cobourg, Port Perry, Haliburton, Burk's Falls, Winchester, Picton, St. Joseph Island and New Liskeard. For a full list of dates and times, visit www.ontariohealthcoaltion.ca. cdobson@theobserver.ca

________________________________________________________________________________

Feb. 17th

ER came through when needed: SOS

Posted By TREVOR TERFLOTH, THE DAILY NEWS

Save Our Sydenham's chairman believes last week's full emergency department in Chatham underlines the importance of Wallaceburg's facility.

On Thursday, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance redirected six patients to Sydenham Campus.

The situation is referred to as "time consideration" and only applies to patients who are stable and do not have a life-threatening condition.

SOS chairman Jeff Wesley said in an e-mail that the Wallaceburg ER benefits the health of all residents within the municipality.

"We have said from Day One that the people served by CKHA Chatham Campus need to be engaged and concerned about SDH, because if our ER goes, their health care will get worse," he said. "The overflow to SDH has happened on an ongoing basis over the years and is justification for keeping SDH."

Wesley had received an e-mail in January from Erie St. Clair Local Health Integration Network CEO Gary Switzer that "for the foreseeable future, there are no plans to close or study

the possible closure of any emergency department, including Sydenham campus.''

In a statement last week, CKHA said such time consideration events occur an average of three times per month.

Dr. Sheri Roszell, acting chief of the ER, said patient care is the priority and credited staff at both campuses for their hard work.

When the decision was made to go on time consideration, all beds in the Chatham ER were full with high-acuity patients and 25 patients were in the waiting room.

Ontario Health and Long-Term Care Minister Deb Matthews told The Chatham Daily News after a recent media conference that she needed more information about the latest situation.

"People should expect the very highest-quality health care available as close to home as possible," she said. "That's our goal."

Matthews said the province's Northern and Rural Health Care Panel is looking into issues across Ontario.

"They will be preparing a report that we'll expect to get in the next several weeks," she said. "Then we'll go to a second phase of much broader consultations."

In early 2009, one of the Hay Group's recommendations to the LHIN was that the Sydenham ER be closed and converted into an urgent-care centre.

However, the LHIN board deferred its decision until the panel completed its work.

During January's meeting, the LHIN announced it will require hospitals in Wallaceburg, Leamington and Petrolia to submit contingency plans for their emergency departments and partner with the organization in a clinical services review.

tterfloth@chathamdailynews.ca

Article ID# 2454050

_____________________________________________________________________________

February 14, 2010

Editor, Chatham Daily News

 I read with dismay Chatham Daily News Article, "Chatham ER was full on Thursday", from February 13, 2010. The article stated that the Chatham ER was full and that some patients were re-directed to Wallaceburg’s Sydenham ER. This process is called "time consideration", and only stable, non-life threatening patients were re-directed. However, this resulted in 6 ambulances being re-directed to Wallaceburg. This was on top of an already heavy workload, as the Sydenham ER was extremely busy during that 24 hour period. It is always upsetting to realize how over-worked health care professionals are everywhere, but especially in Wallaceburg and Chatham.

How fortunate these patients were that there was another alternative to the Chatham ER! They may not have been experiencing life-threatening problems, but they were ill enough to call an ambulance. They they needed medical attention.

The acting Chief of ER services, Dr. Sheri Roszell commented on the physician shortage at the Chatham campus, and further states the Chatham Kent Health Alliance is working hard to maintain patient safety, with physician coverage, and adequate nursing resources. This is obviously not a unique problem to the Sydenham ER, as was inferred by the last CEO of CKHA. This is a chronic problem, province-wide.

The article stated that there was an average of 3 "time considerations" per month at CKHA in the last year. That is 36 times in 2009, that ambulances had to be diverted to Wallaceburg. As a Registered Nurse who worked in the Sydenham ER, before retiring, I know the time frames of these time considerations were often much longer than 3 hours.

What will the citizens of Chatham-Kent do, if the Sydenham ER is changed to an Urgent Care Centre? In an article from "Niagara This Week", February 4, 2010, The officials with the Niagara Emergency Medical Services said that only a tiny fraction of patients are being taken to the new urgent care centres that replaced the two closed ER’s.

Paramedic service officials said that previous fears that the closures would extend the time ambulances are on the road transporting patients to and from emergency departments further away, and would exacerbate already existing delays in offloading patients at those ER’s are proving to be accurate.

Longer patient waits in ER, fewer available ambulances to serve the public, over-worked, over-stressed health care personnel, including EMS. Will this ensure quality patient care in our area? The CKHA’s 3 time considerations a month, means that 36 times a year the public will be put at risk.

Dalton McGuinty needs to know that this is not acceptable to the citizens of Chatham Kent, and the entire catchment area of CKHA, which includes south Lambton. We expect and deserve better service. Let the doctors and nurses do their job. Tell Dalton McGuinty to properly fund health care.

Respectfully,

Shirley Roebuck Registered Nurse

Port Lambton

________________________________________________________________________________

 

Chatham ER was full on Thursday (Feb. 11)

Posted By THE DAILY NEWS

With a full emergency department in Chatham, some patients were redirected to Wallaceburg on Thursday evening.

The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance notified dispatchers, emergency medical services and Sydenham Campus that the hospital was going on "time consideration."  This occurs when the staff and physicians see a demand for services beyond what can be provided to new patients in a timely manner. However, time consideration only applies to patients who are stable and do not have a life-threatening condition.

The situation is evaluated on an hourly basis. When the decision was made to go on time consideration, all beds in the Chatham ED were full with high-acuity patients and 25 patients were in the waiting room.   As a result, Sydenham Campus received six patients by ambulance.   The time consideration was ended after 1 a.m.

"Although our ED physicians are highly committed to responding to the pressures of the ED department, we are still challenged in obtaining second physician coverage on a routine and call-in basis. In fact, single coverage for this particular night shift was just secured a few days ago." said Dr. Sheri Roszell, acting chief of the ER, in a statement on Friday.

"It is the goal of either ED sites to not exceed a time consideration for more than three hours, however, safe patient care is our priority and the physician and nursing resources were working hard to respond to the patient care demands that presented at both campuses during this event."

CKHA has an average of three such instances in a given month, based on statistics from the past year.

"We would like to thank the patients for kindly working with us, and both Chatham and Sydenham ED staff and physicians for their ongoing commitment to working within a department that is unpredictable and highly stressful," Roszell said.

Article ID# 2448412

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Letter to the Editor   

'BURG HOSPITAL AN ASSET, NOT A LIABILITY

Sir:I would like to take this opportunity to comment on announcements made recently, by the Erie-St. Clair Local Health Integration Network. Gary Switzer, CEO of the Erie-St. Clair LHIN, has stated that the LHIN's business regarding small community emergency rooms in the LHIN is concluded.. While the fate of the CKHA Sydenham emergency, the Charlotte Eleanor Englehart emergency and the Leamington emergency is considered by Premier McGuinty's Panel on Rural and Northern Health Care, the Erie St. Clair LHIN will now focus on primary care, while directing the hospitals to develop "contingency plans" for the small emergency rooms.

Primary care is obviously an essential element of today's health care. Primary care should involve doctors, nurses and other heath practitioners working together to promote health, offer education, provide treatment for everyday complaints and generally improve the patient's overall health. There should be specialized units dedicated to problems such as diabetes, heart disease, drug addictions, etc.

All of these things are as essential as an emergency department to the local community. Mr. Switzer has been vague about the true meaning of "contingency plans" for the ERs. If the contingency plans are, in fact, transitional plans to turn ERs into urgent care centers, they will simply be part of McGuinty's plan to centralize health care and shut rural hospitals. These plans are supposedly purposed to develop strategies for any "unforeseen problems" in the ER, for example, a physician shortage. The Sydenham ER faces an ongoing struggle to keep physicians, due in part to a CKHA's lack of support for physician recruitment for the Sydenham campus, and for a perceived lack of respect for these physicians who work in our small community hospital.

Health care in Ontario is in turmoil. The Liberal government demands balanced hospital budgets, and this is being accomplished on the backs of patients and health care workers. In late 2009, in Fort Erie, a tragedy happened; a young woman was involved in a car accident, and because the Fort Erie ER had been closed by the government, the ambulance took her to the larger Welland ER, but she died en route.

How many more tragedies are acceptable in the government's eyes? Premier McGuinty talked about his government becoming transparent, and responsible to the public. In October 2009, he noted that the public would judge him. I do not see any responsiveness to Ontario's shouts for more realistic health-care reform. The premier is correct: the public will judge him, come Election Day.

Chatham Kent Health Alliance now has a rare chance to turn the tide toward transparent and realistic change. There is an interim CEO in place, who knows the challenges facing health care today. There is now an opportunity to work with local health-care workers and physicians who know the local system.

Local businessmen have ideas. I hope our leaders will look to the hospitals of Eastern Ontario, including the Ottawa Hospital, CHEO, Cornwall Community Hospital and Queensway-Carlton Hospital who have openly warned about drastic decreases in hospital beds and services, if the

provincial government does not start providing proper funding.

Why not tell the government that the Sydenham campus is a vital part of the Chatham Kent Health Alliance? Instead of looking at Sydenham Campus as a liability, why not choose to see it as a valuable resource, which can support and help the entire catchment area of CKHA? There has to be more than manipulated data and budgetary mandates pushing health care reform.

Why not look to new ideas, which reflect the public's needs and wants?

Health care is an emotional issue for most people, and that emotion springs from people's love for family and friends and community. We all want and deserve to have appropriate health care in our communities, which rotates around a hospital with in-patient beds and a fully manned Emergency room. –
 
Shirley Roebuck, RN Chatham
_________________________________________________________________________________________________